THE X-RAY UNIT
                                                                        THE BASICS
WHAT FOUR COMPONENTS ARE IN TYPICAL RADIOGRAPHIC ROOM?
1. X-RAY TUBE

2. OPERATING CONSOLE

3. HIGH VOLTAGE GENERATOR

4. X-RAY TABLE

THE X-RAY TUBE Chapter 7 in Bushong
OVERHEAD
Ceiling suspension
Sets of rails-controls longitudinal/transverse positioning
Telescoping column for controlling vertical distance.
FLOOR
Tube-support column mounted on floor
Same positioning options as overhead
Counter weight on back of telescoping column. Why?

OTHER COMPONENTS ON X-RAY TUBE
Collimator light
Collimator controls
Transverse lock
Horizontal lock
Longitudinal lock
Vertical lock
Tube head lock
Tape Measure
X-RAY CONSOLE
Allows the radiographer to control the x-ray tube current (mA) and the voltage (kVp) so that a useful image is produced.
? Controls the quantity
? Controls the quality
What does a line voltage compensator do?
X-RAY TABLE
Must be radiolucent
Can be tilted
Float
Holds bucky
Has weight limit of 300lbs(Carbon-fiber)
Easily cleaned, hard to scratch and without crevices
AN R/F ROOM
Contains a radiographic unit
Contains a fluoroscopic unit
located under radiographic table
used in studies where it is necessary to watch a procedure on a monitor using x-rays.

HIGH VOLTAGE GENERATOR
Housed within the x-ray room
Mobile radiography
mAs AND THE IMAGE ON THE FILM Fauber pgs 60-63
What is mAs?
mAs = the mA X exposure time
mAs is the quantity of x-rays
mAs produces the overall blackening(DENSITY) on the film

kVp and the image produced on the film
What is kVp?
Controls the quality or penetrating quality of the x-ray beam
Produces the varying shades of gray on the film.
Radiographic Qualities
Photographic


Geometric
Allow us to see image
Density and Contrast

Produce a sharp image
Recorded detail and distortion
Four radiographic qualities
Density
Contrast

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Fauber Chapter 5

Recorded detail

Distortion
Overall blackness
Difference between adjacent densities
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Sharpness of the lines of an image

Misrepresentation of the true size or shape of image
Controlling and influencing factors
What might control or influence the four radiographic qualities?
Density
Contrast
Recorded detail
Distortion
Images 4-26,4-27 pg 104 Fauber
Images 5-11, 5-15, Figure 5-16, all images on pg 130-131 Fauber
Sharpness vs. Visibility
Driving on a foggy night (visibility)
Driving after having drops in your eyes (Sharpness)
Good images vs Bad images
Over exposed
Over penetrated
Poor detail
distortion